Manchester United include hotshot Marcus Rashford in squad for Watford clash as injury crisis deepens for Louis van Gaal

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Manchester United have included young striker Marcus Rashford in squad
England captain Wayne Rooney is ill and misses the Watford clash
Anthony Martial left Wembley on crutches after France's defeat by England
Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Antonio Valencia also injured
See more news from Manchester United's Wayne Rooney

By Neil Ashton and Ian Ladyman for the Daily Mail

Published: 15:31 EST, 20 November 2015 | Updated: 03:36 EST, 21 November 2015

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Manchester United have called an 18-year-old youth team striker into Saturday's Barclays Premier League squad as Louis van Gaal deals with an injury crisis.

The Old Trafford boss added Marcus Rashford, who captains the club's Under 19 side, into the squad that travelled to prepare to face Watford.

He is expected to be on the bench and could be thrown into a first-team debut if United find themselves chasing a goal in the absence of both England skipper Wayne Rooney and French wonderkid Anthony Martial.

Marcus Rashford has been included in Manchester United's squad for the clash with Watford on Saturday

Louis van Gaal has a minor injury crisis ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road in the Barclays Premier League

Rooney returned from international duty suffering illness, while Martial has a bruised foot and Marouane Fellaini is also sidelined by a calf strain.

Already eight players have made their debuts from United's academy since Dutchman Van Gaal took over, and he also asked another teenager midfielder Sean Goss to travel as cover.

Van Gaal watched Rashford, born and brought up in Manchester, play a youth game against Newcastle in the week and decided the powerfully-built forward, who has scored six goals in 11 Premier League Under 18 games this season, was capable of answering a crisis.

Rashford was handed the captaincy of the Under 19s by former United star Nicky Butt who now manages that side – with Butt saying: 'He is becoming a leader'.

But for United to be asking him to lead their line in the Premier League underlines how their decision not to bolster their striking options beyond the recruitment of Martial has left them short.

The youngster is highly-rated by the coaching staff at Old Trafford and has been called up to the first team

Wayne Rooney is unwell and unlikely to make the trip to Vicarage Road for United on Saturday

VAN GAAL'S INJURY LIST

Luke Shaw, broken leg, six months

Wayne Rooney, illness, one match

Anthony Martial, foot, one match

Michael Carrick, ankle,1-2 weeks

Marouane Fellaini, calf, two weeks

Antonio Valencia, foot, five months

Martial has been a huge hit at Old Trafford since his arrival from Monaco in August but the 19-year-old will miss Saturday's game with a bruised foot and in doing so is expected to join captain Wayne Rooney, who is ill, and Marouane Fellaini, who has a calf strain, on the sidelines.

The absence of those three players may open the door for the out-of-favour Dutch international Memphis Depay as United look to cement their place in the top four of the Premier League with a win at Vicarage Road.

But with another United forward, Adnan Januzaj, sitting on the bench on loan at Borussia Dortmund, manager Louis van Gaal and chief executive Ed Woodward may be rueing their decision to reduce last season's three-man forwards roster of Rooney, Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie.

Out-of-favour Memphis Depay could earn a recall to the side in the absence of their attacking stars

James Wilson could replace Rooney and Martial but Van Gaal says he will not play a full match

POSSIBLE UNITED XI AT WATFORD

De Gea; Young, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin; Mata, Herrera, Lingard; Depay.

Van Gaal said: 'Rooney was ill after the international break. I have only seen him the day after he played and then he was at home. Yesterday (Thursday) he was at home so I don't think he can play either.

'Fellaini is also injured, which is a surprise because I thought he would be.

'Martial is not a heavy injury, though. He may be able to play next Wednesday [in the Champions League].'

Van Gaal's options will certainly be limited for Saturday's lunchtime kick-off and he may be forced to turn to another big money summer signing in £25m Depay.

Having been out of favour since United's defeat at Arsenal on October 4, Memphis has slipped behind young Jesse Lingard in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Jesse Lingard has moved ahead of Depay in the pecking order and earned his first England call-up

Michael Carrick sustained an ankle injury during England's friendly defeat against Spain last week

Asked if he had expected more from Depay, Van Gaal said: 'Of course, because otherwise he would still be in the team. Otherwise I wouldn't look for another solution.

'I have kept Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira, for example, for that option so now he has to fight back and he does it, so I am satisfied. There's always a chance [he will play]. I have to see and compare players.

'Players of that age are not consistent and when at that time you change the player then the other player has a chance. And that other player is Jesse Lingard.

Antony Martial left Wembey on crutches on Tuesday after France were beaten 2-0 by England at Wembley

'I don't have any problems with players but sometimes they are out of the selection because their competitor is in that moment in a better shape but that doesn't mean that I have a quarrel with the player. It's a matter of form.'

Van Gaal has suggested recently that he is happy with the size of his squad but appeared to say on Friday that he rues Januzaj's decision to go on loan to Dortmund. The young Belgian has only started two games for the Germans all season.

Adnan Januzaj, who is on loan at Borussia Dortmund, can't be recalled by United despite the crisis

Van Gaal revealed there is no way Januzaj can be recalled from loan and added: 'I said in advance that's a big risk for you because you have to compete with other players of a higher level and that is not so easy, it's the same thing as in Manchester United.

'He has to compete with higher level players and I want him to play all the matches and that is why I want to play him also in the Premier League but he chose for Borussia Dortmund.

'We have to wait and see [if it's a good move] because now he doesn't play but he has the talent to play.

'I am certain he has the talent to play but he has to learn a lot of things. Talent is important but so is the character to develop your talent. And he can learn that.'

Van Gaal says he has spoken with Bastian Schweinsteiger after the attacks on Paris that left 130 dead

Jesse Lingard, Tyler Blackett, Reece James, Saidy Janko, Andreas Pereira, Paddy McNair, Tom Thorpe and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, are the academy players who have all been given a chance in the first team by Van Gaal, while 17-year-old Axel Tuanzebe was named on the bench.